Like Oil and Water
by KazimakTempest
Summary: Xander is spending the summer in Connecticut with his great-aunt and uncle, Richard and Emily, trying to make the best of it. Paris, obsessive as ever, is intrigued by Rory's handsome cousin. Will the two find love, or just drive each other crazy.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: As for an excuse, I just wanted to see what would happen if two of my favorite characters were put together in a romantic situation? Let me just be clear that I own none of the characters, I just put them in weird situations and see what happens. This takes place after the second season of Gilmore Girls and after the second season of Buffy.

Chapter 1

Shivering in the morning cold, Xander Harris walked in the Connecticut morning. Why had he not packed any warmer clothes? It was summer after all, and the t-shirt and jeans he was wearing did little to keep out the morning cold as he walked out on the walkway leading to his great-aunt's house. In California what he was wearing would have been fine, even if it were three o'clock in the morning right now.

"Where are you going Xander?" Emily Gilmore, his great-aunt called after him. Emily, standing in the doorway of her home, was wearing a sweater, something that Xander wished he had remembered to bring with him.

"I just wanted to go outside."

"Well come inside, it's cold out there," Emily admonished.

Xander, not able to dispute his great-aunt, turned around and walked back inside. Xander had only arrived in Connecticut the night before and was already dreading the fact that he would be here with his great-aunt and uncle for the next eight weeks. Upset with the people he had been hanging out with his mother had sent him to Connecticut to spend the summer with Richard and Emily Gilmore. It was not that Xander did not like his great-aunt and uncle it was just that they lived on a totally different wavelength than he did, or anybody else in the universe, he thought, silently laughing to himself.

Xander came back inside, followed by his great-aunt who closed the door behind him. He walked into the dinning room to find, his great-uncle sitting at the table eating breakfast.

"Good morning, Alexander," said Richard.

"Good morning, Uncle Richard," said Xander sitting down at the table. Xander had decided that he would call Richard and Emily, uncle Richard and aunt Emily. His mother had never told him about any of his relatives and he was not really sure what the protocol was. Besides they seemed very formal and somehow calling them just Richard and Emily did not seem right.

Emily, who had followed Xander into the dinning room, sat down at the foot of the table. Xander helped himself to some of the scrambled eggs and bacon that the maid had set out on the table and began eating. While he started eating, the maid poured a cup of coffee for Xander.

"Well Alexander we are happy to have you staying with us this summer," said Richard. "Dear, maybe you can take Alexander shopping today and get him some warmer clothes? You seem to be so good at shopping."

"I'd be happy to," said Emily, ignoring Richard's jibe.

"That'd be great," said Xander his mouth full of scrambled eggs.

Richard's nose wrinkled at Xander's gaucheness, speaking with his mouth full of food, but said nothing. The rest of the breakfast passed in silence save only Emily's complaints about the latest maid, Helga and Richard's mollifications

After breakfast Richard went to work in his study and Emily took Xander to the Mall where she bought Xander a couple of sweaters, two shirts and a tweed jacket. All of the clothes were things that Xander would never consider wearing in California. Fortunately his mom had made sure that he had taken a nice pair of dress pants with him that would go well with all that his great-aunt had purchased for him to wear. When they got home Xander, intending to take his new clothes to his room and spend the rest of the day ignoring the fact that he was stuck in Connecticut, left his great-aunt in the living room.

"Dinner will be at seven," she called after him.

"Thank you," he mumbled as he shuffled off to his room.

He spent the rest of the day trying to imagine that he was back in California. It was Friday and he imagined that if he were in Sunnydale he would be spending the evening out with Willow and Oz, maybe going to the Bronze, followed by an evening on patrol. But, he was stuck here in Connecticut. He hoped that the vampires of Sunnydale could await his return.

Lying on the bed he drifted off to sleep and was awoken by voices downstairs. He got up and looked at the clock. It was 6:30 and there were definitely voices other than his great-aunt and uncle downstairs. He decided, with dinner so close that he would head downstairs so he put on one of the shirts that Emily had purchased for him and after tucking it into his pants headed downstairs.

When he got downstairs he found his great-aunt and uncle sitting in their living room with two brunette women, one that was his age and the other older sitting on the couch.

"Ah, Alexander, I am glad you decided to join us. I would like you to meet our daughter Lorelei and granddaughter Rory. Girls, Alexander is Jessica's boy. Jessica asked if he could stay with us this summer."

"Hello, nice to meet you," said Xander shaking Lorelei's hand. "Most people call me Xander."

"Hi Xander," Lorelei said, Emily's face grimacing at the informality.

"Hi Xander," said, Rory, shaking Xander's hand.

"Alexander, can I get you a soda," asked Richard.

"Yes, please," said Xander, sitting down on a chair next to the couch and Richard placed a glass of soda in front of him.

"Where do you live when you are not stuck with your great-aunt and uncle?" asked Lorelei.

"Sunnydale, California. I am going to be senior at Sunnydale High next year."

"Wow, Sunnydale, sounds warm," said Lorelei.

"It's certainly warmer than Connecticut."

"So what did you do to get sent here?"

"My mother wasn't happy with the people I was hanging out with. She thought they were too dangerous."

"oooh, dangerous friends, my favorite kind. I know how dangerous staying out late can be," joked Lorelei.

Xander liked Lorelei's sense of humor but somehow he felt the need to shock her. "It wasn't so much that as the vampire slaying that bothered her," he said.

"Vampire slaying, and here I thought that went out of style with mullets," laughed Lorelei.

"Well, she thought I would be safer if I spent the summer here. Better environment sort of thing."

"I was thinking maybe I could bring Alexander to Stars Hollow sometime next week," said Emily.

"Mom, why would you want to come to Stars Hollow?" asked Lorelei.

"I don't know I just thought Xander might want to spend some time with his cousin. It's not as though there is anybody his age around here."

Just then Helga, the maid, walked into the room and announced dinner.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lorelei and Rory were up early Monday morning. They had gone to bed early the night before and somehow had managed to both wake up at eight which was surprising because neither had anything they needed to do that day. Lorelei had taken the day off from the inn because Monday was Rory's first real day of summer vacation, as in her opinion weekends don't count. She wanted to spend the day with Rory so after quickly showering and dressing they walked to Luke's for breakfast. Without school to go to Rory had decided that she was going to spend the day reading. There was a week before she would be going to Washington for the Youth Leadership Conference and all she wanted to do was relax and do some reading.

She had found an old copy of Leaves of Grass in a used bookstore and she intended to spend the day lying in bed lost in Whitman's words, but Paris Geller had other plans. When they got to Luke's for breakfast, she was waiting for them, sitting at the counter.

"Well you finally made it. About time," she said to Rory after looking at her watch. She had been sitting at the counter drinking coffee since she had arrived at five thirty. It was almost nine now and despite her impatience she was happy that Rory had finally arrived.

"Paris," said Rory in surprise. "Good morning."

"Hello Paris," said Lorelei.

"Hello," said Paris.

Lorelei and Rory sat down at a table and Paris quickly got up from the counter, walked over and stood by their table, her book bag hanging from her shoulder.

"What are you doing here Paris?" Rory asked.

"Well I thought I would come out and see you. We have tons of stuff we need to get ready for our trip to Washington." While she was talking Paris began taking a stack of notebooks out of her bag and placing them on a table next to theirs. "Come over here. We only have a week to get ready and we have a lot of work to do."

"But, I haven't even had my coffee yet," Rory pleaded as she got up and walked over to the table. Rory was not very happy to see Paris. She saw her plans for a day spent reading slowly disappearing.

"We'll get the waiter to bring you some." Looking at Luke, who had the coffee pot and cups in his hand he was bringing for Lorelei and Rory.

Paris said, "Waiter, some coffee."

"Sure," said Luke, pouring a cup of coffee for Rory.

"Good morning Luke."

"Good morning Rory," said Luke. After pouring her coffee he walked over to where Lorelei was sitting.

"Good morning," said Luke.

"Good morning," said Lorelei. "Luke, you've met Paris?"

"Yes, she was waiting outside the diner, before I opened. She has been sitting at the counter, drinking coffee and waiting for Rory since five thirty."

"That sounds like Paris."

"I think she scared Kirk away."

"Now that really sounds like Paris."

"What can I get you?"

"Mmm, I have the day off and I thought I would have a nice leisurely breakfast. How about some French toast? That sounds good."

"Two pieces of French toast coming up."

"Just one please. I'll order the second one later, after I have finished the first. I said I wanted a leisurely breakfast."

Luke scowled at Lorelei, but said nothing as he walked over to the table where Rory and Paris were sitting.

"Can I get you ladies anything?" he asked.

"No," said Paris, "we are very busy," not looking up at Luke as she spoke. All of the notebooks that Paris had taken out of her bag were now spread covering the table.

"I'll have a doughnut, please Luke. Do you have any jellies?"

"One jelly doughnut, coming up," said Luke as he turned away and started walking back to the kitchen.

"Thanks Luke," she said.

"Can we get on with this?" asked Paris, upset with the distraction.

"Sure, Paris," said Rory.

Lorelei sat and drank her coffee. She wondered what she was going to be doing the rest of the day. She did not have any plans for how she was going to spend her day off. Although, as usual, the house was a mess and there was laundry to be done she did not think that she would be getting to any of that. Maybe she would rent a bunch of movies or something. Maybe she would do a Julie Garland marathon? It had been a while since she had watched "_Wizard of Oz_" with a "_Dark Side of the Moon_" soundtrack. Maybe there were other Judy Garland movies that would benefit from a Pink Floyd sound track. What about "_Meet Me in St. Louis_" and "_The Wall_" sound like together she wondered.

"Hello, Lorelei," said Emily, who had entered the diner, followed by Xander, while Lorelei was lost in thought.

"Hello, mother. Hello, Xander," said Lorelei quickly recovering from the surprise of seeing her mother.

"Hi Lorelei," said Xander.

"What are you doing here mother?"

"I told you I wanted to bring Alexander to Stars Hollow, so that he could be with somebody his own age, didn't I. I was hoping that he might be able to spend the day with you and Rory while I run some errands."

"Well, I don't mind. You don't mind spending the day here with us Xander?"

"No, It would be fine with me."

"Well are you going to invite us to sit down?" asked Emily.

"Sure Mom, would you like to sit down?"

"Well first let me go say hi to Rory," said Emily.

Lorelei thought it was just like her mother to ask to be invited to sit down, just to decline the invitation. Next she will ask Luke to cook her breakfast just so she can make a show of not eating it. Lorelei was, again, not surprised by her mother's behavior.

Emily walked over to the table where Rory and Paris were working.

"Hello Rory," said Emily.

"Hi Grandma, what are you doing here."

"Well I wanted to bring Alexander to Stars Hollow so that he could spend some time with people his own age. But it looks like you ladies are busy. Who is your friend Rory?"

"This is Paris, Grandma," said Rory. Turning to Paris she said, "Paris, this is my Grandma, and my cousin Xander."

"Hello," said Paris, not looking up from her work.

"Well I can see that you ladies are busy. I will go over and talk with your mother."

The whole time that Emily had been talking to her granddaughter Xander had been staring at Paris. She had been engrossed in her work and had not noticed his slack-mouthed stare. Rory's friend instantly entranced him. Her long blonde hair reminded him of Buffy, although Paris' was straight and not curled. She was obviously an intense young woman, not even looking up when she was being addressed. She really reminded him of the Slayer.

Emily walked back and sat down at the table across from Lorelei. Xander sat down at the table between them, facing in the direction of the two girls working at the other table.

"What are they working on?" Emily asked Lorelei.

"Well, as you know Rory is going to Washington next week with Paris and Paris was waiting here this morning when we came in, with a bunch of things she wanted Rory to do with her. I was hoping if I left them alone for an hour or so Rory might be able to beg off and we could go home. This her first day of summer vacation and I know she doesn't want to spend it here working with Paris. Besides I have my breakfast coming."

As she spoke Luke came out of the kitchen with Lorelei's French toast and Rory's doughnut. After placing the doughnut in front of Rory, he placed the French toast in front of Lorelei and said, "Hello Emily," to Emily.

"Hello Luke," said Emily.

"Luke this is Xander," said Lorelei. "He is spending the summer with my parents. Xander this is Luke, he owns the diner"

"Hi Xander, nice to meet you." said Luke.

"Nice to meet you, Luke," said Xander.

"Emily, Xander, can I get you anything?" asked Luke.

"Coffee," said Emily.

"Sure, Coffee," said Xander.

"Sure, be right back," said Luke, walking back toward the kitchen. Luke returned, with coffee for Xander and Emily.

Meanwhile at the other table, where Rory and Paris were working and Paris noticed Xander was staring at her. She looked over at Rory, who was reading one of the selections that she had brought for her to read.

"Who is that guy staring at me?" she asked Rory.

"What?" asked Rory, distracted from her reading.

"That guy sitting at the table with your mother and grandmother is staring at me."

Xander noticed that Paris had noticed his staring and quickly looked away.

Rory, looked back over her shoulder at the where Xander is sitting. "Oh, that's Xander, he is spending the summer with my grandparents. He is my grand cousin or something."

"Grand cousin? There is no such thing as a grand cousin," corrected Paris.

"I don't know. If my grandmother is his great-aunt, what is my relationship to him?"

"You are second cousins,"

"Okay then he is my second cousin."

"He is kind of cute," admitted Paris.

Happy to find Paris distracted from the pile of work that had been brought for her to do Rory said, "Why don't we go over there and talk to him."

"No, we have work to do."

"Come on Paris, it will only take a minute."

"I'm not going over to talk to some strange guy."

"But, you just said he's my second cousin, not some strange guy."

"Okay."

Paris and Rory got up from the table and walked over to where Emily, Lorelei and Xander were sitting.

"Are we taking a break?" Lorelei asked.

"Yes, Paris felt bad that she had not been all that social when you came over to say hello to us," said Rory.

"I did not," exclaimed Paris, which drew a slap to the gut by Rory.

"Ow, what was that for?" asked Paris.

"Paris, this is my second cousin Xander. He is spending the summer with my grandmother."

"Hi Paris, nice to meet you," said Xander, holding out his hand to shake.

"Hello Xander," said Paris ignoring Xander's outstretched hand. Faced with Paris' rejection of his hand he slowly brought his hand back down to the table.

"Why don't you girls sit down?" asked Lorelei.

"Sure," said Rory. Paris and Rory pulled seats over to the table and sat down, Paris sitting across the table from Xander.

Just as they sat down Luke came out of the kitchen and walked out to the table. As he filled the empty coffee cups around the table he complained, "Are you guys going to clean all the stuff that had been left on the next table. I do need space for my customers." At the moment there were no other customers in the diner.

"We'll pick it up," volunteered Rory. She and Paris got up and stashed away all the notebooks and papers that had been spread across the second table.

"Maybe we could go see a movie," suggested Lorelei.

"Well, I really must be going," said Emily as she got up and pulled her purse over her shoulder. "Alexander, I will come pick you up this evening, but I really do have some errands I have to run."

"Sure," said Xander.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Being left in Stars Hollow by his great-aunt normally would have had Xander upset, but with the chance to hang out with his cousin and her attractive friend he was not, he decided, all that upset. He wanted to be able to spend some time alone with Paris, but he did not want to blow off his cousins. They seemed really nice and he thought that Lorelei had a good sense of humor. After Emily left Luke's, Xander was left at the table with Lorelei, Rory and Paris.

"So do you guys want to go to a movie?" Lorelei asked again, after not getting a response the first time.

"Sure," said Xander, "What's playing?"

"We don't have time for a movie. There is still a lot of stuff we need to do," complained Paris. Did these people have no idea about how important it was that she look good at the leadership conference? She was sure Rory would not mind blowing off work to go to see a movie, but there was no way she was going to let herself look ridiculous for just one afternoon spent at the movies.

"Come on Paris, we can take a break from the work," said Rory.

"I'm going to the bathroom," said Paris. She quickly got up and walked to the bathroom. Faced with what seemed like a three to one confrontation Paris decided that a tactical retreat might be in order.

Rory got up and followed her. When Rory entered the bathroom she saw Paris standing at the sink, staring into the mirror.

"What's the matter, Paris?" asked Rory.

"We don't have time to go to a movie. We have work to do. There is tons of stuff we have to read to get ready for our conference."

"But, we have all week Paris. What's the rush?"

"All, week? Is that any excuse for laziness?" said Paris, turning her head to look at Rory. "You'd like it just fine if we showed up at the conference totally unprepared, wouldn't you? You could always get some cute guy to help you couldn't you."

"What are you talking about Paris?"

"Don't pretend that you won't find some cute guy to help you with anything you might have missed. I am sure you can find one. That way you don't have to do any work before the conference," said Paris as she turned around to face Rory.

"Paris, I don't mind doing the work. I just don't see the need to do it all today. Besides, there is a perfectly nice guy right outside. Why not go to a movie with Xander and relax a bit."

"Wouldn't you like going to a movie so you could be with that cute guy?" asked Paris stamping her foot.

"Paris, he's my cousin."

"Oh, right. Sorry," said Paris, the angry expression dropping from her face.

"Why don't you go out there and talk to him?"

"I'm sure I wouldn't know what to say."

"It doesn't matter what you say, just go talk to him."

"I'm sure he is not interested in anything I would say to him."

"Just go talk to him. Most times when your talking with guys it doesn't really matter what you are talking about, just that you are talking to them."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've had some pretty inane conversations with guys."

"Okay."

Paris took another look in the mirror and then left the bathroom with Rory. Out at the table Xander and Lorelei were laughing about something. Paris and Rory walked across to the table and sat down. Both Xander and Lorelei seemed to stop their laughing when Rory and Paris sat down at the table.

"Am I that funny?" Paris asked in indignation.

"We were laughing about great-aunt Emily." Said Xander.

"Sure, like I don't know it when people are laughing at me behind my back,"

"No, really Paris, I was telling Xander about how my mother dealt with the guy who delivers their groceries, not about you," said Lorelei.

"Okay," said Paris.

"So are we going to a movie or what?" asked Xander, trying to diffuse the situation.

As he was speaking Lorelei's cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered it. "Hello…Oh, hi Sukie,…What?…Okay, I'm on my way." As she spoke on the phone Luke looked at her with a disapproving look on his face from behind the counter, but he said nothing.

"Sorry guys, I have to go to the inn. Michele is yelling at the guests again and I need to go talk him down. You guys go a head and go to the movies. Rory give me a call when you get out and I'll come pick you and Xander up. See you guys later." After she finished she left the diner in a rush.

"Well, are we going to go to a movie?" asked Xander.

"Sure, let me go get a paper and we can see what is playing," said Rory. She got up and walked out of the diner. At the newspaper machine outside the diner she bought a newspaper, which she brought back into the diner. Rory Spread the movie listings out on the table and all three looked them over.

"This theater is only twenty minutes away," said Rory pointing at an advertisement in the newspaper. "How about we go see 'Young Vampires in Love'? I saw the preview last week and it looked pretty funny."

"How could a vampire movie be funny? Vampires aren't funny." asked Xander incredulously.

"I saw the trailer to. It did look like it would be pretty funny," said Paris.

"Sure, that sounds great," said Xander trying to muster some enthusiasm.

Xander, Rory, and Paris packed into Paris' car and drove to the movie theater on the outskirts of Hartford. The movie turned out to be a real stinker. The story, basically a Twilight rip-off, was played unsuccessfully for laughs. All through the movie Xander was thinking that vampires really were nothing to laugh at, but Paris seemed to be enjoying it so he remained quiet. Paris was happy sitting next to Xander. Maybe he would ask her out after the movie. Rory felt like a third wheel, sitting next to Paris, when all her attention was obviously resting on her cousin. After the movie Rory called her mother and Lorelei said that she would come pick Xander and her up.

While Rory was on the phone with her mother Xander and Paris, were sitting together on a bench outside the theater. Xander knowing that Paris would be going away at the end of the week decided that now was his chance.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Xander asked Paris.

"I don't know. I have a bunch of stuff to get ready for the Leadership Conference next week." Although she did have a bunch of stuff that needed doing she did want to be able to do something with Xander, but as always she was her own worst enemy when it came to guys.

"I guess you would be to busy to do something with me," said Xander sensing defeat.

"Why don't you call me tomorrow afternoon? Maybe I will have some time."

"Sure, can I have your phone number?"

Paris took a scrap of paper and a pen out of her purse and wrote down her number. Rory, who had finished talking with her mother, returned to where Xander and Paris were sitting.

"Xander, Mom says she'll be here to pick us up in fifteen minutes," said Rory.

"Fine, I'm going to take off Rory. I'll see you later Xander," said Paris as she walked away toward her car.

"Is she always like that?" asked Xander.

"Most times," said Rory.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After Emily had picked up Xander, Rory went to her room, hoping to have some time to read before the food Lorelei had ordered arrived. Before she was able to start reading her cell phone rang.

"Hello," said Rory, answering her phone.

"Rory, I need your help."

"Paris?"

"I gave Xander my phone number."

"Okay."

"What if he doesn't call me?"

"Then you should call him. Let me give you my grandmother's phone number."

"I can't call him."

"Yes you can."

"But then he will think I'm scary, desperate girl."

"No he won't. He'll think you like him and want to see him again," said Rory trying to keep Paris from hearing that she was laughing on the inside. Rory sat down at her desk. It seemed like Paris was going to need a pep talk and Rory decided if that was the case then she needed to sit down.

"Are you sure?"

"Paris, he likes you. You are pretty much safe doing anything short of mass murder."

"I don't want to kill anybody."

"I know, I wasn't suggesting it. I'm just saying that when a guy likes you, you don't need to worry about if he calls or not. He probably will call, but if he doesn't it's probably just because he is nervous. He doesn't want to hear you say no. If you call him and ask him out he will say yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Paris, if he doesn't call he's a fool, and you don't want to go out with a fool do you?" said Rory, starting to tire of Paris' plight.

"No."

"So don't worry about it."

"Okay. Thanks. Let me get off the line in case he calls. Bye."

"Bye Paris," said Rory to the empty line. After hanging up the phone Rory sat at her desk for a few minutes silently laughing.

---X---

Later that night, after finishing dinner with Richard and Emily, Xander called Paris.

"Hello," answered Paris.

"Hi Paris, it's Xander."

"Hi Xander."

"I was calling to see if you wanted to come to dinner on Wednesday night. I was having dinner with my great-uncle and aunt and I was talking about the movie we all went to and my great-aunt asked me to ask you if you wanted to come to dinner on Wednesday."

"Sure, I don't have any plans."

"Cool, I'll get directions for you from my great-aunt."

"Don't worry, I'll call and get them from Rory. We still have a bunch of things to do for the leadership conference anyway."

"Okay then."

There was a moment of silence as each of them tried to think of something to say. Paris was the first to give up.

"Good bye Xander."

"Good bye Paris."

Both of them hung up.

--X--

On Tuesday, after having breakfast with Richard and Emily, Xander went to his room and after lying down on the bed, he broke out the copy of C-_Stranger in a Strange Land_ that Willow had lent him for his trip. When he complained to her about how he was going to have nothing to do while visiting his great-aunt and uncle, she had suggested that maybe he should bring some books to read and she had lent him several books. While the idea of doing reading not required for school at first had sounded crazy to him, he knew that Willow was an avid reader and she seemed to enjoy it. While he was sitting on the plane on the way to Connecticut he had grown bored with the stupid movie that was showing. Remembering that he had books with him he took one out of his carryon and started reading. To his surprise he had found that he enjoyed reading and after landing he was sorry that he did not have more time to read. Now he would have the whole day to himself, because Richard was at work and Emily was going to run some errands and then go to a D.A.R. luncheon. So after declining her invitation to tag along he went to his room and started reading, and other than the time when Lupe (Richard and Emily's current maid) bothered him and insisted that he eat something for lunch, that is what he had done.

At four in the afternoon Emily arrived home from her luncheon.

"Xander," she called out from downstairs. There was no response, so she called again, a little louder. "Xander."

After spending much of the day reading Xander had drifted off to sleep and he was awakened by Emily's second cry. Getting out of bed he walked downstairs.

"Hello aunt Emily," said Xander.

"Where were you?"

"I was upstairs reading. I guess I must have fallen asleep."

"Well, Richard will be home soon and we are going to the Anderson's for dinner. Why don't you go upstairs and get ready."

"Sure" said Xander. Xander was wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans and he guessed that this was inappropriate for dinner with "The Andersons" who ever they were, so he went upstairs and after cleaning himself up a little bit in the bathroom he changed into dress pants with a shirt and sweater. Checking himself in the mirror he decided that this should satisfy his great-aunt. As he was walking back down stairs he saw that Richard had arrived home from work.

"Hello Xander," said Richard sitting on the couch.

"Hello," said Xander, joining him.

"Well I am sure Emily has told you that we are going to the Anderson's for dinner tonight."

"Yes, she did,"

"Well, she should be ready in a few minutes," he said looking at his watch.

Xander and Richard sat in silence for a few minutes until Emily arrived.

"Well there they are my two handsome escorts," said Emily as she walked into the den.

"Are we all ready?" said Richard standing up.

"Yes, lets go."

Xander got up and followed Richard and Emily to the car. He got in the back seat behind Richard in the driver's seat and they rode in the car for about fifteen minutes, arriving in front of a large house similar to the one Richard and Emily lived in. Xander got out of the car and followed his great-aunt and uncle up the brick-lined walkway toward the front door. Standing on the doorstep, Richard rang the bell. A Hispanic woman wearing a maid's uniform almost immediately answered the door.

"Hello," said Richard, "we're here for dinner with Kerry and Dorothy."

"Follow me," said the woman, taking Richard's coat and Emily's purse. She led them to a sitting room where a well dressed man, a woman and a younger woman were sitting.

"Richard," the man exclaimed, getting out of his seat and holding out his hand for Richard to shake.

"Kerry, good to see you," said Richard, shaking his hand. "Alexander, this is Kerry and Dorothy Anderson and their daughter Rachel. Everybody this is our grandnephew Alexander from California. He is spending the summer with us."

"Hello Alexander," said Kerry, "this is my wife Dorothy and our daughter Rachel." Xander shook his hand and then Dorothy and Rachel's hands as they stood to greet him.

"Well, dinner should be served soon," said Dorothy. "Why don't you sit down and Kerry will get us drinks." Xander sat down with his great-aunt and uncle and while the idea of having a scotch with his great-uncle seemed appealing he decided he better not, and responded that he would take a cola when asked. Kerry got the drinks ready and distributed them.

"So Alexander," asked Dorothy, "what do you think of Connecticut?"

"It's nice, colder than I am used to, but nice," said Xander. "I haven't really had a chance to see much of it yet."

"Alexander, maybe you could ask Rachel to show you around," suggested Emily.

Xander looked over at the longhaired, platinum blonde girl, who was smiling at him. He was sure that he was blushing.

"Rachel just finished her freshman year at Vassar," said Dorothy.

After an awkward moment of silence, Xander was relieved when the maid came and announced that dinner was ready. Everybody got up and walked into the adjoining dinning room and sat at the table. After everybody was seated the maid brought out salads from the kitchen. Xander, remembering what his mother had taught him in the crash course of etiquette she had given him before he left Sunnydale, picked up his salad fork and began eating with everybody else at the table. To Xander's relief most of the conversation at the table was between Richard and Kerry about business conditions at the moment and most of it was over his head. Something about the discount rate being too high to stimulate the economy, which he did not understand. After the salad dishes were cleared the maid brought out the main course, which was roast beef, potatoes and green beans. The roast was a little bit too well done in Xander's opinion but he kept it to himself. The conversation had moved on and Emily and Dorothy were talking about a library that their D.A.R. group was holding a fundraiser for. After the dinner plates were removed, dessert was served.

The evening had been horribly boring in Xander's opinion and he wondered how many of these evenings would he have to sit through this summer. When they got home he said good night to his great-aunt and uncle and went up to his room and changed for bed. After lying down to sleep he thought about Paris and how much prettier she was than Rachel Anderson. He was looking forward to her coming to dinner.


End file.
